From the Cockpit - Video Series

The Air Force has a time-honoured tradition that goes back as long as anyone can remember. Every base, regardless of where it is located in the country and regardless of its primary task, follows the same drill. When all the activities of the day are done, all the personnel are safe in their homes and all the aircraft are secure in their blast pens, the duty officer on duty sends a signal message to the designated higher formation.

The message is simple, has remained unchanged over generations and says simply “The Sky is Blue”, Air Cmde Rohit Varma (Retd) a former Project Director Flight Test at the National Flight Test Center at ADA lives by those words and likes to call himself an aviator with "the right stuff" about to complete his fourth decade in aviation.

A Kargil War Hero, A Vayu Sena Medal Awardee and a Veteran Fighter Pilot, he counts himself as one of the fortunate few who get paid for indulging in their favourite activity - flying. From Para-gliders, microlights, high performance jets to airliners, he has been at the controls of all.

When not flying, he enjoys his wife‘s culinary endeavours and tries to cut down on his Handicap in Golf at the Army Golf Course in Bengaluru. His off-duty activities revolve around his home bar, family and friends.

In our interview with him he recounts his experiences from when he was the Project Director Flight Test at NFTC - ADA, during the Kargil War, flying the MiG 21's and Mirage 2000 for more than a decade and about his life as a family man.

Part 1

Part 2

India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) together with its variants, is the smallest and lightest Multi-Role Supersonic Fighter Aircraft of its class. This single engine, Compound-Delta-Wing, Tailless Aircraft is designed and developed by ADA with HAL as the principal partner along with DRDO, CSIR, BEL, DGAQA, IAF & IN to meet diverse needs of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy (IN).